A friend was kind enough to read this one day. And on another day, another kind pal took time out of their life to read the following words. Time and time again, I’ve seen people make time for me and the stuff I make. The stuff that I don’t find valuable because I get so caught up in the things that I need to get done, my 9 to 5, diabetes, and whatever else I deem more valuable and important that making and sharing things. Creation and play are so important, and what’s the point of doing things if not to sometimes share with others?
If you have the time, please read this. I hope it inspires you to give some of your precious time to others. I hope you take some of that time for yourself to create and play. And, if you’re so inclined, I’m open to any notes on grammar, spelling, or messages missed in my amateur writing ability.
I’m also hoping to keep this as an ongoing updated story. Most of the core will stay itself, but a high hope of mine is to get this thing in print somehow. So, illustrations, more than anything, will be added to this page to accompany the story.
Thank you for your time.
“Busy, busy, busy.”
Time Story
by Kevin Gilgan
Busy, busy, busy. John Johnson was always busy. He never had enough time for home, never enough time for work, never enough time to eat, and most certainly never enough time for sleep.
John Johnson, an executive team lead of the Firm, was incredibly successful. His success was due to all the time and effort he put into his work, though it wasn't nearly enough (he was constantly told).
His family loved him and he loved them. But not enough time was there to love and be loved to the fullest extent. Due to his lack of time in a day his diet and sleeping habits continued to worsen.
“Only 4 hours of sleep last night,” he regaled to his coworker while sipping on his giant cup of espresso. Sipping? No. More like gulping. He was not afforded the luxury of sipping on a beverage of any kind; let alone the energy-sparking lifeblood that was in that perfectly insulated paper cup.
“4 hours?” His coworker scoffed. “I only got 2! I'm very busy.”
John Johnson panicked. “Well it wasn't 4 hours straight. It was broken up. Things to get done, you know?”
“Sure, John. Sure. Well I must be getting back to work. I really didn't even have time for this conversation. So much to do so little time.”
Yes. Time seemed to be a drop of water in the vast ocean of things to do. Or, in more pressing terms, like a single sheet of paper in the seemingly endless stacks on Mr. Johnson’s desk.
Ten hours of hard work at the Firm later, John Johnson was on his commute home. Not a day went by that his horn honked less than five times. This was due to the lack of consideration from the stupid and careless drivers on the road. Do they not understand how much he needs to get done? Their business was but leisure to his heaping pile of busy.
HONK! HONK! HONK! HONK! HONK! HONK! HONK!
An above average amount of honks on his drive home this day. Finally, he was out of the turnpike and on the home stretch where there was still more to get done.
His tires seized up and his hand pressed firmly on the horn as an elderly gentleman took his time crossing right in front of him not a block away from the house. The elderly gentleman stopped and looked at John Johnson. His hand raised with only his index finger up in the air. He slowly shook his hand subtly back and forth, indicating to give him some time.
“I don’t have a second to give, old man! Can't you see I'm in a rush!?” Another honk was given.
“No time,” the now very mysterious man questioned. “No time, you say?” The man, with a tattered coat in toe, approached John’s vehicle. ”Well now hold on another second there my good sir. I do believe I have some time to spare for you. You see, I've been around quite a long while and have collected so much time I just do not know what to do with it. If you need some, please, please, let me give you some.” He reached into his pockets, searching.
“What is the meaning of this? Please just get out of my way.” John Johnson now revved his engine. He hadn't done that in awhile. Actually, it hadn’t been since purchasing this car when he had time to inspect all of its features. He forgot how beautiful the roar and then purr of the engine was. But still he was just about ready to run this old man over when the man moved aside.
Before the elderly man was able to approach the window, John Johnson was off. He sped down the street like lightning. The speed made his teeth show. When was the last time he had smiled? He couldn't remember. He began to think about this as he whizzed past his abode. Like waking from a daze, he shook his head and hit the breaks. His car turned a full 180 degrees leaving a trail of rubber. He was now a mile from his home. How did I get so far without noticing? He thought. I don't have time for this!
John Johnson parked his car and rushed inside. He knew he was going to get a tongue lashing from his wife for being so late. He winced as he opened the door and there his wife was.
“Hello honey,” Mrs. Johnson greeted John with a smile. “Did you have a good day at work? My day was busy! I'd tell you but I haven't got the time. So much to do. You understand!”
He paused. He never pauses. “Oh. Yes. Well, my day was busy. I got a lot done though. So that's good. The… the, uh, strangest thing just happ…”
“That's great to hear, dear! Now, I'm glad you're home. I have so many errands to go and run. I will be back swiftly.” Like a gale-force wind she grabbed her purse, the car keys and a kiss from John and was out the door.
John Johnson, in yet another strange daze, stood. This was the first time he noticed his wife not noticing him. Maybe it was the first time in a long time that he actually noticed his wife. Really noticed her.
He wasn't sure for how long he stood. Only that it was longer than he had time for.
The doorbell sent a panic running through his chest. He rushed to the door.
Standing on the porch in a tattered coat and a scraggly grey beard was the man from the street. He was not dirty, but he was definitely not clean cut. His clothes were a half size too large for his body, as were his facial features for his head. He began to talk in a slow yet methodical pace. “Mr. Johnson. You rushed away so fast I was the one who did not have enough time… to give you more time! Huh! Well would you look at the irony in that!” He laughed to himself.
John Johnson was furious. How did this old geezer find my house? Why won't he leave me alone? He began to shut the door.
“Now now now, wait.” The old geezer stuck his well worn shoe in the door.
“I haven't got the…” Johnson began to protest.
“Time. Yes. I know. We ALL know, John. Everyone is running out of time with all of the important business. The hustle and the bustle. The grind. The toil. Oh how there has always been words for how important what it is you are doing. And it is important, John, it sure is. Don't you feel so? I know I do. My work, although I don't talk about it much, is very important. It gives me purpose. But my job isn't the subject at hand. No no no. It's time. It's the little flat circle we all go around. Some count the seconds, others the years. To me, it's all the same. It's all time. What we do with it is very important, but so is what we don't do with it. For me, I do not need as much time as others. Let me rephrase: I have a lot of spare time. Time unused. I carry it all over and give it to people in need.”
“Let me stop you right there. I am not buying. I know the phrase: time is money. And if time is money, I am not buying. I don't have the time OR the money for this… endeavor.” Another pause.
“No, sir, no. I am not selling a thing. What I give to you is of unspeakable value, but let me tell you this: it is free. You may do with it what you want, but know that once used, you can not get it back. Not a threat, but a warning.
”They say a lot of things. One of the things they say is: Time will tell. Well, John Johnson, I am the one it tells. But again, it does not matter what I do. It's a matter of what you do. So here,” the strange man took something from his pocket into his hand and outstretched it to John Johnson. Using his other hand, the man grabbed John’s wrist and placed the objects into John’s hand. “Make the most of your time, John Johnson.” Before John could look into his hand the old man shut the door.
“Wait,” John called out as he opened the door to inquire more from the old man, but he was no where to be seen. “Funny,” John thought aloud. “He wasn't in a rush earlier.”
John Johnson held in his hand a gold timepieces and a small scroll of paper. The timepiece had weight to it. Heavier than any gold watch he had ever held, though it was only the size of a quarter. It also had a small crown to adjust the hands with. Each hand was set to 12:00. He opened the scroll.
“The timepiece is good for 24 hours. To activate, set the time using the crown. Every second counts.”
“So much time wasted today.” He shoved the timepiece into his pocket. Shook his head and went on with his busy evening.
In the middle of a very important task John was interrupted by his son. “Dad! Hey! Dad!”
“Yes, Johnny? What is it? I haven't much time.”
“Well, actually. I was just thinking… I have a bit of time at the moment, from being busy, and, well, do you think we could maybe play catch. I've been wanting to learn and I feel that learning to catch would be a valuable skill in the future. So I'm still busy doing something. It's not like I'm asking you to do nothing with me.”
John Johnson set down his utensils he was using for his work. He went to look at his watch to see what time it was. “Drat!”
“What is it dad?”
“Where the devil is my watch?” John Johnson began to search. First the desk in front of him. Then his shirt pockets. Then his pants. He felt something. The timepiece. He pulled it out.
“What's that?”
Deep in thought, John asked, “how long do you think you would like to play catch for?”
“How long,” Johnny asked and pondered the question. “Is an hour too long? I know you're very busy.”
“An hour is a lot of time. But I think I might have 30 minutes to spare. Hmm… 30 minutes to spare. Has a nice ring to it, huh, son?”
“Sure does dad! I'm very excited! I'll meet you outside!” With that, Johnny sprinted out the room. He was unsure if the 30 minutes started now or when they began to play, but he wasn't going to risk a single moment.
John Johnson’s index finger and thumb touched the crown gently as his palms began to sweat. Every second counts he thought. John pulled out the crown. He moved the minute hand to the roman numeral for 6 indicating 30 minutes. He pushed the crown back in hesitantly. When it popped into place he felt different. His shoulders relaxed back and he can’t remember the last time he felt his lungs inflate and deflate so fully.
Not wasting anymore of this precious newly found time he quickly made his way to the back yard to find Johnny fumbling with the red and white ball trying to play catch with himself.
“Alright son. Let me show you how it’s done.”
The long light of the setting sun peaked through the backyard’s foliage as father and son tossed the red and white ball back and forth. Soft lobs to begin with, but as time progressed they began trying throw some curveballs at one another.
“Ok, Johnny, your grip on the ball is always the most important part.” John held up the ball to show his son. “It’s a lot like the fastball we were working on, but with this one you’re going to want to middle finger on the inside seem just like this. Now, see my arm go from the L shape and as I release the ball I’m going to rotate my hand.”
“Wow,” Johnny exclaimed. “Let me try.”
“That was good throw! Try again, this time try to pull your hand down more in front of your body. Yes! Just like that!”
“How do you know so much about baseball, dad?”
“A long, long time ago I used to play quite a lot actually.”
“Why’d you stop?”
“You know,” he tossed the ball up and down in his hand, “I’m not quite sure why I stopped. I think it was that after school, I had to get a job to provide a financially stable life and just focused on that.”
“Do you ever wish that you could’ve done it differently?”
“I haven’t taken the time to really think about that. I think that provide a home and food for you and your mother has been a good choice, don’t you think?”
“Well maybe one day, if I put enough time and effort in, I’ll be as good as you!”
“That sounds swell, son.”
The 30 minutes were up and John Johnson took his son under his arm and told him how much fun it was. They’d have to do it again. Johnny shook his head up and down in excitement and gave his father a great big hug. A hug thought John. I haven’t stopped for a hug in quite some time.
TIME!!!
There was work to get done! How could he have been so foolish! He now began to feel behind on all his work. The dread of all of the things he needed to get done began to sink in. And even worse he felt sore and tired from playing with his son.
Shit. It’s late and I do not have enough time to get everything done! Wait… He felt in his pocket once again. I’m sure I can get some good rest if I used this…
The timepiece was still at 12:30 from when he set it last. He had once skimmed an article that said the average adult needs seven to nine hours of sleep a night. John Johnson couldn’t remember the last time he got five. And so the timepiece was set to 9:30 and he laid his head on his pillow and closed his eyes.
* * *
The alarm went off in the morning as usual, but John Johnson was already up and making breakfast. He had never felt so alert and awake. He usually was one for resetting his alarm at least twice before slumping out of the bed and into his trousers. But not today, no sir! He had showered, shaved, ironed his work shirt and pants, and even had time to water the flowers. He has been seeing the flowers wilting for the past few days but could never find the time to water them until now. The smell of bacon, eggs and potatoes wafted into the bedroom where Mrs. Johnson was rubbing her eyes with her fists.
“Morning, my love,” John Johnson exclaimed to his almost-disheveled spouse who seemed to not have enough time to properly apply her makeup and do her hair. “Here sit for a moment and have some food. I looked up a couple of recipes and these are apparently very good for you! We’ve got good fats and proteins from this egg, bacon and cheese scramble. I’ll be honest with you, it started off as an omelette, but my culinary skills seem to be a bit rusty. We also have some roasted sweet potato hash, and, just a warning because I know you’re not the biggest fan of onions, but they are in this dish. It’s very good though, I promise!”
“What is the meaning of this John? Where did you find the time?”
“Oh my dear. Don’t you worry about that!” He slid a plate of a hearty meat and vegetable scramble along side some hash and fruit. “Here’s a glass of water also! Apparently drinking 10 cups of coffee a day is unhealthy! Start your day off with at least a glass of water and make sure you drink more throughout the day!”
“But where is this all coming from John? I just don’t understand...”
“No need to!” He kissed his wife on the cheek. “I seem to have found some spare time and I feel great! But,” he looked at his watch, “I really must be going now. Gotta get to work! Things to get done!”
* * *
John Johnson got to his cubicle and looked at the pile of work that must be done. It was overwhelming. He started working on the first task and then remembered his magic piece of equipment that had already worked wonders for him, though he still was unsure how. The timepiece was now in his palm. He got up slightly to peer over his cubicle to look around. No one was paying him any mind. All of his coworkers were quite busy with their own tasks. He set the timepiece for 6:00. This would give him plenty of time to complete his tasks and also have some of the lunch he had prepared for himself earlier that morning. With a rested and well fed mind and body he began to work.
He had never had such concentration before. The files that needed filing were filed with a vigor the Firm had yet to see before this very moment! Each stack of important paperwork was diminished in record time at the hand of John Johnson. At one point, he even felt himself grinning and humming a cheery tune.
Where did I learn this tune? I don’t have the time to listen to music. Although, maybe I should take some time to listen to it soon. I remember the joys it brought me in my youth. Maybe I’ll take a dance class. The wife and I could have a good time. Heck, Johnny might enjoy it too!
John continued to smile and hum his song as he got back to work.
* * *
And done! He capped his pen and straightened his papers. He got so much work done that he already had a head start on the next day! He looked at the clock and not even six hours had past.
He got up from his cubicle with all of his work to give to his manager who was currently in the middle of managing the office at the Firm.
“What’s this,” John Johnson’s manager asked while giving a puzzling stare at the pile of work in John’s hand.
“Well sir. I’ve finished all of my work for today, and actually there is a little bit of tomorrow’s workload in here also. I can put it back with tomorrow’s things if you’d like?”
“TOMORROW’S WORK!? IT’S NOT EVEN CLOSING TIME! HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO FINISH ALL OF IT!?” The manager began to finger through the pages with a skeptical glare.
“I guess I just felt like I put my mind to it and got it done. I’m actually not sure. I’m usually so tired and can't focus. I guess my goodnight’s rest and breakfast helped…”
“Oh I wish I wasn’t so busy as to be able to sleep a full night AND have breakfast in the morning. It must be nice! How did you happen to stumble upon so much spare time, John Johnson?”
John Johnson’s eyes widened. How could he have known about the spare time? Were there some sort of spy cameras set up around the office? In the car? In my home? “I… uh…” He stuttered in delay to come up with an excuse. “I’m also extremely… busy… too…”
“Well obviously you have time to sleep and eat so you can’t be too busy. But since you have so much to do and you’ve already done so much here, why don’t you take the rest of the day off. I’ll make sure to adjust your workload for tomorrow so you’ll have plenty to do. And Johnson, if you keep this up, there might be a corner office with your name on it; if you aren’t too busy, of course.”
“Oh yessir! Or… I mean no sir! I’d be happy to make time for that.”
“Fine. On your way, Mr. Johnson.”
John Johnson left the Firm feeling on top of the wold. He had never been so satisfied with a work before. Had anyone? Rarely had he seen his or anyone else’s handwork ever pay of in such a way. It always felt like the daily grind started with one step back and then taking a step forward at the end of the day. Like buying something at the beginning of the day and then getting the money to pay for it at the end. An endless cycle of repetition and complacency. But he had just broken this cycle. John Johnson, with the power of this timepiece, had been able to be so productive that he was no longer back to where he started but two or even three steps ahead!
He hopped into his cherry red car and turned the engine over and felt the cylinders ignite as the pistons cranked up and down. He sat there and felt the vibration all through his body. He closed his eyes. A now familiar grin began to emerge on his face. His foot was on the gas peddle and he pressed down gently. The RPMs fluctuated so that they barely kissed the redline. This was the reason he bought this car so many years ago. Before the wife and family. Before the responsibilities. Before he was so… busy. Well now he was the master of his own time and he wasn’t about to be so caught up in the business any longer.
He lost about 15% off the life of his back tires as he exited the Firm’s parking lot onto the main street. He wasn’t in any hurry to be anywhere in particular, but he made it there with haste nonetheless. More pleasure than necessity. So alive, he felt. The windows were down and, as he was just now realizing, so were his shoulders. He used to be so tense. But not today. No sir. He found himself closing his eyes and just breathing in everything. It was spring. The crisp fresh air felt good to take in. It had a hint of lavender and all the other flowers he never stopped to smell until now. With his eyes closed the car sped through an intersection at the same time someone with their eyes open drove their car into the intersection. Both cars collided.
Glass was shattered across the asphalt. Each driver sat still in their respective cars as smoke and steam raised above their hoods.
John Johnson had never been in such an accident before and was unsure of how to handle it. The other driver seemed to know what he was doing.
“What the hell were you thinking,” the driver yelled as he kicked out of his door and charged towards John Johnson’s.
“I’m sorry, sir,” Johnson said as he fumbled for his door handle. Too late, as the other driver was already opening up his door.
“Now I'm going to be late!”
“So am I!” John Johnson paused after this. Would he be late? To what? Why was he in a rush? If anything, he would just have another thing to do now; dealing with fixing his car and whatnot. “Listen, I'm sorry. I was being reckless. Are you ok? Are you injured? Was there anyone else in the car?”
“I,” the red on the driver’s face began to get less vibrant, “think I'm ok.” The driver looked at their car. “I'll need to call a tow truck. Would you like me to call you one also?”
“I'd appreciate that.” John Johnson searched his pocket for some spare change. He felt the timepiece once more, but pushed it aside and grabbed a few nickels to give to the other driver. “Here you go. Let me know if you need more.”
* * *
The tow truck had dropped the crashed car off at the auto body shop and a taxi took John Johnson home. He was still home before Mrs. Johnson and he decided to have dinner ready for her when she arrived.
The table was set and the food was warming in the oven when Mrs. Johnson walked through the front door with their son.
“Oh boy! What smells so good?” Johnny asked.
“Yes. What is that smell?” Asked Mrs. Johnson.
“Dinner is served!” Said Mr. Johnson. “We have filet mignon with carrots and broccoli, and this right here is a french loaf from a bakery not four blocks away from our house! Can you believe it? They’ve been there for ten years and we’ve never been!”
Everyone’s mouth began to water.
“Oh, dad,” Johnny exclaimed. “How did you ever find the time to make something as swell as this?”
“Yes, dear, how did you find the time? I'm so busy I feel as that I don't even have time to put on my shoes in the morning.” Mrs. Johnson laughed a bit.
“Well,” John said as his fingers fiddled with the timepiece under the table. “I have come across a great fortune and I would like to tell you both about it. What I'm about to tell you needs to be kept a great secret and no one must know about it.”
Mrs. Johnson and Johnny nodded in anticipation.
Mr. Johnson placed the timepiece on the table.
“Gee dad, that's a nice looking watch!”
“Son, this watch is magic. I was given it by a strange old man yesterday on my way home from work. It gives me time to do the things I want. It slows down the hectic day and allows me to get done what needs to be done. Well, just last night when you wanted to play catch, Johnny, I gave myself 30 minutes on this here timepiece and before you knew it you and I were playing catch right out back. And then I needed some sleep and so I set it and I was able to get a good night’s rest without any worry about losing time. Ain't it just great? I felt so wonderful I made breakfast and even more, I was able to finish so much at work today they let me go home early! Can you imagine? Think of all the things I can accomplish with this small piece of magic!”
John Johnson’s wife and son sat there silently, mouths ajar.
“Sweetheart,” Mrs. Johnson’s face twitched and tensed as she took a breath. “Are you feeling alright? You're sounding a bit insane.”
“Yes! I feel great! I haven't felt this wonderful in… well I don't know how long! I finally have time! I even got in a car accident today and wasn't even bothered by the time it consumed.”
“An accident!?” Johnny said a little bit too loudly.
Oh well now it all makes sense; you must've hit your head when you were in the accident. We must get you to a hospital immediately.” Mrs. Johnson stood up to help her mentally distressed husband.
“No no no. You don't get it! This,” he picked up the timepiece and began waving it about. “This thing is magic! The strange old man gave it to me! Why can’t you understand?”
Just then there was a knock at the door.
“I'll get it,” John said as got up from his chair and gestured for his wife to return to her seat. “I'll get it and then we can all relax and have a nice calm conversation about these events that have unfolded. Ok?”
He made his way to the front door and opened it.
“Well don't you look dandy! Did you get a good night’s sleep? Seems like you've had some time to eat and maybe even get all your work done and still have time to play with your boy? Oh how time sure does fly with the little ones, am I right? Of course I'm right! I know all about time!”
“GREAT! YOU’RE HERE!” John Johnson was ecstatic. “Here! Come inside and meet my family!” He grabbed at the arm of the old man, but when he tightened his grip around the forearm his fingers went right through. Like mist.
“Oh my dear boy. You can't catch Time. It's always there. You can see it, feel it's effects, but never touch it. Never capture it in your grasps.”
“Time? You mean… you're…”
“Time itself! Yessiree!”
“So then this timepiece, its real?”
“Well of course it's real! It's made of gold and has and incredible bridge movement. Do you not like it?”
“Yes. I love it. But… but I thought it was magic? I assumed it had magical properties of some kind to grant me more time?”
“No sir. That timepiece, like every other clock in existence, has 12 hour marks on it. And each day has 24 hours. It's good for 24 hours and must be wound up everyday.”
“That's what the note meant by ‘the timepiece is good for 24 hours’?”
“Of course. And every second counts, Mr. Johnson. Every second counts no matter if you have the timepiece of not. I like to think every clock, every watch, every ‘Mississippi’ is a piece of me. And what you have in your hand, John, that right there is a literal piece of me. But I am not magic. I stop for no man. I never go in reverse. You cannot make me go faster. Every now and again I come around to teach someone this. I am one of the most powerful things in the universe but I am not unjust. People tend to blame me for the wrinkles on their face or their bones getting brittle. They also give me credit for healing wounds or waiting on me to bring them good things. But I tell you this: I do none of those things. Those things happen within my rules but I have no hand in them.
“I am a very sought after. People are always begging for more of me, but I tell you this is all anyone ever gets; 24 hours in a day. I do not give life nor do I take it away. Those are jobs for other beings, some of who I am quite good friends with. Everyone around you, including yourself, pretend like I do not exist. You think that you are so important that you have created your own time and you couldn't even create much of it at all. I am Time. I can not be created nor can I be destroyed. I have given everyone the same amount of me everyday and it's up to you what you do with it.
“This word ‘busy’ that everyone uses brings slander to my name. Everyone is busy. They're alive. Their bodies are burning energy nonstop. Everyone is always doing something. So to use it as an excuse to not spend time with your family or to eat properly or to not get good rest is preposterous . It saddens me.
“In your hand you hold a timepiece; a time keeper. Use it. When you look at it, remember me. Remember that every second on that clock face matters. Remember the important things to spend those seconds on. Remember that when you take care of those important things, such as sleeping and eating, you will feel like you have more of me. Spend time with your family. Get to know your coworkers and the people around you. Take some time to get to know yourself. I am only wasted when opportunities are passed because you were ‘too busy.’”
John Johnson stood now with his mouth ajar and breathing heavily. His hands were slightly shaking and his eyes began to swell. “I'm not sure I know what to say.”
“Not many do, John. Not many do. You'll probably walk away from this and weigh the cost of every decision. I need you to know that there is never a right answer. There is never a choice to make that is the absolute right one. What you choose to do with your time is yours and yours alone. Same goes for your wife and your son. They must also be the masters of their own time.”
“But people will think I'm lazy or that all I do is sleep and eat!”
“Is that all you will be doing,” Time questioned with a wrinkled grin.
“Well no. But if I don't tell people I'm busy then they'll just think…”
“They'll just think what, John?” Time interrupted. “They'll just think that they are jealous of all of this time you've collected to be with your family. To do the things you love and obtain the energy to partake in such activities? John John John. You must know that you have been much more productive in the past 24 hours than you have in the past 24 days!”
“But I crashed my car. Now I'll have to deal with that without my magic timepiece.” John Johnson’s head slumped down.
“The timepiece is the same as it was when I gave it to you. It is used to tell time, not make it. But I know you will make the most of your time, John. You now have the skill, and that's the most important part.”
“That's true. So I really get to keep this?” He looked at the timepiece in the palm of his hand.
“Of course! It's yours. Cherish it. Look at it whenever you're feeling overwhelmed. A clock won't change that feeling, but figuring out what to do with the time you are given will. Speaking of, I've taken time away from you and your family. I'm sure I will see you around, and if you hold onto that piece of me, I'm sure you'll see me too.”
Time grabbed the door handle and shut the door on himself. John grabbed the handle and swung it back open, but Time was nowhere to be found. He looked down at the clock face and saw a faint imagine of the mysterious old man. “Thank you,” he said under his breath.
“John,” Mrs. Johnson called from the dining room. “Who was it? Is everything ok?”
It was. It was more than ok. John Johnson walked back into the dining room and apologized for the hysterics that were previously displayed. He sat back down to the now not-so-hot dinner and told his family about his new discovery about time management. They listened as he talked and their eyes began to light up when they realized the possibilities of using their time wisely.
After a game of catch and some dessert, John Johnson told his wife and son, “I love you both, but I think it's time for bed.”